Construction of submerged



April 0, 1954 J. P. EMSHWILLER 2,675,680

CONSTRUCTION OF SUBMERGED STRUCTURES Filed April 6, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l lll Ill" INVENTOR.

JOHN P. EMSHWILLER ATTORNZZX April 1954 J. P. EMSHWILLER 2,675,630

CONSTRUCTION OF SUBMERGED STRUCTURES Filed April 6, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JOHN P. EMSHW| LLER ATTO EY April 20, 1954 J. P. EMSHWILLER 2,575,680

CONSTRUCTION OF SUBMERGED STRUCTURES Filed April 6, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet s Fig 4 INVENTOR. JOHN P. EMSHWILLER .ABY W :zvgft/ ATTORNEY April 20, 1954 J. P. EMSHWILLER 2,675,630

CONSTRUCTION OF SUBMERGED STRUCTURES Filed April 6, 1949 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig? Fig 6 INVENTOR.

JOHN P. EMSHWILLER BY I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1954 CONSTRUCTION OF SUBMERGED STRUCTURES John P. Emshwiller, Riverdale, Md.; Bertha J. Emshwiller, administratrix of said John P. Emshwiller, deceased, assignor to Bertha -J.

Emshwiller Application April 6, 1949, Serial No. 85,921"

10 Claims. (01. 61-46% 3 (Granted under Title 35; U. S. Code (1952), I sec. 266) W Y The invention described. herein maybe manufactured and used. by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the act of April 30, 1928 (Ch. 460, 45 Stat. L. 467).

This invention relates to underwater construction. Particularly the invention relates to a method for the construction of an underwater foundation and to the foundations so constructed. Heretofore in order to construct underwater foundations capable of supporting large structures above the water andwhich structures are subjected to heavy lateral forces, it has been necessary to maintain relatively heavy equipment atthesite during the period of construction of the caissons, cofferdams or cribs. Such operations involve risks .to equipment or personnel due to the probability of storms occuring during the construction, over and above the risks involved by the construction itself, and are therefore expensive.

Accordingly, it is an object of .this invention to provide a new method for the construction of underwater foundation capable of supporting large top side structures and highly resistant to lateral thrust without the use of coiferdams, caissons, cribs or divers at locations where the soil ofiers low resistance and necessitates the use of piles.

It is another object of this invention to reduce the risks of damage due to storms arising during the construction period by both shortening the time of construction and also by providing a method whereby operations can be stopped and the supplementary equipment can be returnedto port during the storms without increasingly heavy losses in time or equipment and without jeopardizing the uncompleted con,- struction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a foundation that will remain stable inthe event that the soil is washed out from under the foundation, hereinafter referred to as scarring. 7

Other objects and advantages willbe appar: ent or will appear hereinafter. in the detailed discussion of the invention. 7 v

These objects and advantages are ao'con1- plished in accordance with this invention. by the method of constructing .,an underwater foundationwhich comprises erecting structural supporting members integral with a watentightshell which can be floated into positionfsubmerging said shell by decreasingits buoyancy untillitrests 2 at thedesired position on the bottom, driving pilestoadesired penetration through open end tubes which pass thrdugh sai'd shell from skin to skin in a substantially vertical plane and which exclude water from .sai d shelland interlocking the heads of said piles and said open end tubes. In another embodiment of the invention these objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with this invention bythemethod of constructing an underwaterioundation which comprises erecting vertical structural supporting members integral with a water-tight shell which can be floated into position, while said shell is substantially afloat partially driving vertical guide piles, through open e nd, tubes which pass through said shell from its upper and lower planes; and which exclude water from said shell, submerging said shell and structural members bydecreasing the buoyancy thereof until it rests on the bottom; driving piles through said open end tubes to the desired penetration; and interlocking said piles and said open end tubes.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views andin which Fig. l'is avertic'al section of a diagrammatic view of one completed embodiment of this invention.

Fig.2 is atop view of a typical embodiment of the shell. I v

Fig. 3.is a verticallsection of a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of the invention prior to the step of submerging the shell.

Fig. .4; is a vertical section of a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of the invention durin tha tenof submer g t sh I Fig. 5 is a sectional diagrammatic view of one embodiment of the inventionshowingpileldriving using a removable follower and a method of interlocking the pile head and .pile tubes...

. .Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, are sectional: views of various embodiments of pile tube. construction and interlocking. r r I The invention, however, is not to be construed as limited tothe specific, details shown in. these drawings as they are merely. representativev of but afew'of many embodimentsof the invention. Referring to. Fig. l,.-the completed foundation isshown wherein the water-tight structure or shell Hi, known to thetradeasan aquapad, supporting structural r.membersJ l andsuperstructural members ILL; piles. I'ZlhaVebeendriVenLto a penetrationgwhich..will..give the desired .supf

port and resistance to overturning and lateral displacement. The piles I2 were driven in place through'open end tubes (sometimes referred to as pile tubes) I3 which pass through the shell from skin If)! to skin I02. At the completion of the pile driving step the pile heads should be 7 approximately in the center of the pile tube both laterally and vertically. This can be accomplished by the use of a removable pile follower as shown in Fig. 5, item I2 I. The pile heads It are shown as being interlocked with the pile tubes I3 by means of a grouting composition i such as concrete. Additional strength may be given to the entire structure by filling the shell lflwith concrete or other grouting composition, aggregate, or fill I5. Item I8 is a connection used for filling and discharging ballast "during .the.submerging and seating operations, andhereinafter will be referred to as the ballasting connection. Items I1 are connections which can be used to fill the shell with concrete at the completiono'f the construction if desired, and hereinafter will be referred to as a utility connection.

The shell It can be of any desired shape to supply the proper foundation and support for the superstructure. A presently proposed shell isone suchas is shownin Fig. 2, a cylindrical shell. The shell proper can be eithera single shell or, in the case of exceedingly large units, itcan be compartmentedinto water-tight sections; in such cases each section should have its own utility and ballasting connections :1 and I8. By this means the buoyancy of the entire unit can be more readily controlled to insure seating and maintaining it .in the desired position. 7

As shown by Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the vertical structural members II and III which are to extend above the water line after completion can be of any design necessary to provide the desired support. They can be attached to the upperdeck of the shell or can be integral with the shell interior and thereby benefit from the additional strengthening and stiffening imparted by the shell and fill.

Such units (the shell, pile tubes, and structural members) can be constructed in various ways. For a few examples: They can be built ashore and floated to the construction site; they can be built at the site and launched there; or in some instances, the vertical structural members can be erected on the floating shell at the site by the use of relatively light equipment.

Thepiles I2 can be of any desired material, 7

type, or size to. provide the required resistance. Preferably, the pile heads I4 should be deformed or irregular in order to provide a better interlock with the pile tubes I3,'as will be discussed hereinafter. The deforming of the headscan be accomplished by various devices, a'few of which are shown in Figs. 6 to '9 inclusive, or may be expanded, thuscreating an irregular surface, in such manner asthat shown in applicants copending applications 160,201 and 160,202 or in any other manner.

Referring 'now'to Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9, which show a few of the many possible embodiments of the pile tubes I3, deformed pile heads, and other various structural details. The tubes can be of any shape or size sufiicient to accommodate the selected piles and'which provide sufficient volume to permit'forming a strong interlock with the grouting composition. Figs. 1, 2,3, andf4 indicate the use of cylindrical straight wall tubes; however, itis presently preferred to employ inverted conical or stepped tubes such as those shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, because such tubes in having a relatively wide upper opening 433 and a relatively narrow bottom opening I34 make it easier to locate and center the piles at the start of driving operations, and they permit the use of a wider variety of sealing :means at'the-lower extremity 134. In preferred embodiments the walls or surfaces of the tubes are made irregularor deformed as illustrated in Figure 9-or'by:aiiixing to such surfaces angle :irons-as illustrated in Figures 6, '7, and 8. The

desirability of having such irregularities both inside and-outside the tubes should be noted, for they assure the rigid connection of the pile to the fill within the shell via the grouting around the. piles and the tube walls and irregularities therein.

lhe pile tubes or open end tubes I3 pass completely throughtheshell I0 .fromits upper deck Ifil to'its lower. deck I92 and arein a-substantially vertical. line. "For. most purposes they can be perpendicular to the bottom but as shown in Fig.1, it is often convenient-that theyshould be at anangle to'the bottom to permit-the use of batter or inclined piling I22. The pile tubes are installed in such a manner that they will exclude water from the interior .of the shell. Such installation can-be accomplishedjin various ways. For example, afflanged pile .tube .canibe held in place by bolts, rivets, or the like, and water-tight integrity of the. .shell assured -by gaskets or caulking; however, .for reasons .or economy, welding to the shell at,points of penetration are preferred attpresent.

Another desirable embodiment .'is shown in Fig.9 wherein thepiletube'is formed inthe. shell concrete fill i6 .prior to.submergence.

For purposes of providing. additional. mechanical strength to thetube andshell during ,pile driving operations, it is oftenadesirable .to .reinforce the piletube by partially or completely filling-the portions 0f-=the-shell surroundingthe pile tubes with reinforcedconcrete, orthelike, such. as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

.Still another possible variation .is shown in Fig. fi-wherein a cage or similar reinforcing IfiI surrounds thepile tube-to strengthen the shell concrete l5. When such practice is followedit is .usuallydesirable .to have deformities such .-as shown by item I3I in Figs. 6, 7, and don the portions of the pile tube inside the shellpby such means additional locking surfaces are provided.

Fig. 6 shows a pipe-pile I2 which has been driven to thedesiredpenetration and having its head 14 approximately half way inthepiletube I3. The pile head I4 has welded rings MI or other deformities such asangles, lugspor the like, which aid in effecting the interlock with the pile tube I3-through thegrout .or concrete. The interior surface of the-pile tube may also be deformed to effectuate the interlock asshown by items I32 of Figsafito 9 inclusive. .Since the pile tube is rigidly attached to the shell IIL-the interlocking of the pile and pile tube will therefore serve to anchor the entire foundation'to the bottom. 'The interlocking .can'be accomplished by filling the pile tube with concrete or other grouting composition [5 after completion. of .the pile, driving and allowing it .to .set .or' harden.

"This interlocking or fgroutingdn of the pile head can be accomplished merely'by.pumping the grout or concrete down to thepileitube, or by securing a pouring .tubeZO, whichlextentls above "the waterline as shown i'nFig. 5;"in'the upper-portion-6f15i1' tube 33. Afte'I the irig tube is in place, the-gasket'or sealing mea'iis (l9, Fig. 7) can be packed'tightly' betweenthe pile and pile tube sea-ling the lower opening'lad; however, a slight seepage has" not been found-to be harmfuls If desired} the-watermay be removed from the pile tube and po'uring' tube and agrout 5 can then 'bei-ntroduced to interlock the pile head and pile'tub'e. f;

"Upon the setting or the piletube grout and when desired, filling of the'shell with concrete or the like, by disconnecting-theshell-ballasting and utility connections and removing the'jpouring tube, the construction'of the indation*isconi-== e 1 "As shown in Fig. 1, item 3il =a'portion-pf' the soil may become washed out-from below the s ren. By using this invention astructure will remain erect even" in extreme 'cases 'of "such r n r 4 The following examples 'will"'show various methods by which the invention may be carried out but the invention is not to be construed as limited thereto.

Example Referring particularly now to Fig: 3 which shows the shell l and'-structural members' H floating in the water near a tender 25. Vertical guide piles [2 are runthrough the open end pile tubes I3 and partially driven into the bottom. The buoyancy-of the shell H! isthen decreased by adding ballast'through-the ballasting line NH and its shell connection l8 while venting the shell through shell connection l'land utility tube or line Ill'extending'above the'su'rface. This will cause'the shell and "structural members to be submerged. The guide piles will'assure proper positioning of the shell when itreachesb'ottom. Such practice is'especially desirablewhen there is a current at the construction sitewhich might cause a shifting of the shell during or after submergence. When the shell is-on the bottomthe pile driving operation can be completed by usual methods, making sure that when the desired pile penetration has been reached the pile head is substantially near the center of the pile tube both vertically and horizontally. The pilehead and shell tube arethen interlocked by grouting and the structure completed as has been previously described.

' Example II In some instances it is undesirable to use guide piles. In such instance the floating shell'can-be submerged prior to the driving of'any piles to an approximate location on the bottom. The structure can then be brought into-the desiredposition by increasing its buoyancyyi. e., removing ballast until it just floats free of the bottom. When in such a state the entire structure can be easilyfmoved by relativelylight equipment on an accompanyingtenden, The completion of the foundation.isthencarried out as heretofore described.

'Whenthereis a. substantial current inthe water, it may be necessary to secure lines to one or more barges upstream from the desired location of the foundation during the submerging operation. It has also been found helpful to drive two or more temporary piles in such manner as to constitute a fence on the down stream side of the desired location so that when the shell is near the bottom it can be permitted to be guided into position by such piles.

1; .i fam l H1235... I

Another. possible method of employing this in vention is shownby Fig. 4. In this example the foundation istobe installedin relatively deep waterythereforeit is impractical to attempt to maintain the stability of the shell and the tall superstructure HI while it is being towed to the construction site. Fig.' 4 shows that the shell l0 .hasljbeensubmerged as described -.in either Example I or II; [and then by properly controllingthe buoyancy and by using relatively light equipment '25|..on the accompanying tender Z5 theshell maybemaintained in a submerged state at any depth, which permits additional vertical structural members I H to be attached to lower.. structural member H. while its upper portions are above the waterline. If. the shell connections I1 and 18 are substantially noncollapsible, the assembly of the shell and such connections gains buoyancy as the shell descends. It, hasbeen found, that very accurate .controlof clepth'can beobtained with great ease bylthe operation of small-ballast pumps. After the additional structural members have been added, buoyancy, can then be. decreased and the structure is sunk to the bottom, and. the, foundation can becompletedas aforementioned.

From the foregoing description and examples it is apparent that'this invention has provided a new methodof the construction. of underwater foundations and also a (simplified .type of submerged foundation. p I

v While the inventionas particularly described contemplates an uninterrupted operation, in many instances, such will, not be the case; for example,-storms may occur .or equipment may fail. In such casesthe shell may be sunk to the ,bottom...by decreasing its ,buoyancy and stored there until operations can be resumed; at 'whichtimetheshell may be refloated by increasing itsbuoyancy and operations continued in the normal manner. This is in distinct contrast: to previous storm or mechanical failure procedures which subject .theproject to great hazards, whichrincreasethe costs and jeopardize personnel j 1 a While-the invention as particularly described showspthepiles driven to depths whereby the pile and head are centered in the pile tube, the inventionv is .notlimited thereto and interlocks canhe effected between piles. whose heads are above thepile tube opening and the pile tube. Since many iwidely differing embodimentsof the invention will occur to one skilled in the art, it i not limited to the specificdetails illustrated or described and various changes can be made therein. without departing from the spirit or scope thereof;

What is claimed is:

1 1'." A method of constructing underwater foundations that consists in constructing a substan tially watertight buoyant shell having top and bottom and side walls and having pile receiving tubes extending therethrough and secured to said top and bottom walls; assembling superstructure elements on said shell; floating the assemblyto the site of the foundation; decreasing the buoyancy of the assembly to sink it to the bottom; driving through said pile tubes and to a firm bearing in the bottom, piles that, when driven, have portions within said pile tubes of less diameter than the surrounding portions of the pile tubes; and introducing settable grouting material into the spaces thus left between the piles and pile tubes to secure the submerged shell directly to the driven piles.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of building the shell with pile tubes having internal deformities presenting longitudinally acting abutments; providing the portions of the piles that when driven, will be within the pile tubes, with external deformities presenting longitudinally acting abutments; sizing the deformities in the pile tube to allow driving of the pile therepast; and sizing the deformities on the piles to be capable of entering the pile tubes, whereby setting of the grouting naterial introduced after driving of the piles through the tubes effects a longitudinally fixed interlocl between the piles and pile tubes.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of reinforcing the pile tubes prior to driving of piles therethrough by building about them, internally of the shell, concrete reinforcing.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of building the pile tubes with external deformities presenting longitudinally acting abutments within the hollow shell, and casting concrete within said shell to form a monolithic body locked to said pile tubes irrespective of later deterioration of the top and. bottom walls of the shell.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of packing gasket material into the lower portions of the spaces between said pile receiving tubes and said piles prior to the introduction of the grouting material into such spaces.

6. In an underwater foundation, in combination, a completely submerged hollow shell having spaced top and bottom walls, upstanding structural members supported by said shell, said shell having a plurality of open ended tubes extending through its top and bottom walls and through the shell from top to bottom thereof, piles driven through said open ended tubes for securing said shell to the bottom and having their heads located Within and substantially spaced from the walls of said tubes, a body of settable grouting in the space between said pile heads and tubes, said tubes presenting internal lengthwise acting abutment means for preventing relative longitudinal movement between said tubes and said set grouting composition, and said pile heads presenting external lengthwise acting abutment means for preventing relative movement between said pile heads and said set grouting composition, whereby said shell is interlocked to said pile heads.

7. A combination according to claim 6, said upstanding structural members including members extending inside said shell in spaced relation to its walls, said open ended tubes also presenting endwise acting abutment means inside said shell, and said shell being filled with settable grouting material interlocking said piles, tubes, filling and upstanding structural members into a single unitary body.

8. A foundation construction for use underwater, comprising a prefabricated assembly of supporting structure carried by a watertight initially hollow shell that is completely sub- 8 merged in use, said shell comprising top, bottom and sid walls and open ended tubes extending completely through the shell and sealed into its top and bottom walls to provide for driving of piles through the shell from above the. top wall thereof; said shell further comprising means for admitting grouting material to the interior thereof to become set therein; said open ended.

tubes having inside and outside surfaces presenting lengthwis acting abutment means for interlocking respectively, with said set grouting material and with set cementitious material surrounding the portions of driven piles lying within said tubes; said structure, in place, comprising piles extending out of the lower ends of said open ended tubes and having portions within the tubes presenting endwise acting abutment means spaced from the opposed endwise acting abutment means of the tubes, and having set cementitious material interposed between said portions of the piles and said tubes, whereby said piles are interlocked against endwise movement relative to the set grouting material Within the shell irrespective of deterioration of the top or bottom walls of the shell.

9. A foundation construction according to claim 8, in which the supporting structure comprises portions extending within said shell and interlocking with the set grouting material therein, for assuming anchorage of the supporting structure to said piles irrespective of deterioration of the top and side walls of said shell.

10. A foundation construction comprising a submerged hollow form having a Watertight external skin with means for introducing of grout thereinto, and with open ended pile tubes passing clear through said form from skin to skin thereof and sealed into said skins in watertight fashion, said pile tubes having radially offset walls presenting complimentary longitudinally acting abutment surfaces on the inner and outer sides thereof, piles driven through said pile tubes and having radially offset surfaces lying within said tubes in spaced relation to the radially ofiset walls thereof, and grouting material filling the spaces between said radially offset surfaces and walls and filling said hollow skin, so that on setting thereof the piles, tubes and form filling constitute one single interlocked structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 409,190 Girein Aug. 20, 1889 1,706,246 Miller Mar. 19, 1929 2,050,727 Misz Aug. 11, 1936 2,248,051 Armstrong 1 July 8, 1941 2,515,540 Willey et a1 July 18, 1950 2,552,899 Manes May 15, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 580 Great Britain of 1860 198,276 Germany e of 1908 415 The Netherlands aof 1914 263,997 Great Britain of 1927 

